Monthly unemployment rate for August at 5%, figures show

The monthly unemployment rate for August 2026 was 5%, remaining the same since July, but up from August 2025. This is according to figures released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

When the results are broken down by sex, the unemployment rate for men was 4.8%, this is unchanged from July, but down from 5% in August 2025. For women, this was down from 5.2% to 5.1%

In terms of ages, people aged 15 to 24 were 12.3%, this was down from 12.4% in July 2026, with those aged 25 to 74 years old at 3.9%, down from a rate of 4.0% in July 2026.

Conor Delves, Statistician in the Labour Market Analysis Section of the CSO, said: “The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for all people aged 15 to 74 years in August 2026 was 5.0%, unchanged from the July rate and up from 4.9% in August 2025. In August 2026, the unemployment rate for males was 4.8%, and for females was 5.1%.

The seasonally adjusted number of people unemployed was 147,100 in August 2026, compared with 148,300 in July 2026. There was a rise of 1,900 in the seasonally adjusted number of people unemployed in August 2026 when compared with August 2025.

The seasonally adjusted number of unemployed males increased to 74,600 in August 2026, compared with 74,500 in July 2026. The seasonally adjusted number of unemployed females in August 2026 was 72,500, down from 73,800 in July 2026.”